Fuel-controller for steam-boilers.



UNITED STA ES PATENT OFFIcE.

HOWARD K. CLOVER, OF OMAHA, NEBRASKA.

FUEL-CONTROLLER FOR STEAM-BOILERS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Ii'atent No. 692, 192, datedJanuary 28, 1902.

Application filed September 25, 1900. Serial No. 31,082. (No model.)

To ctZZ whom, it may concern:

Be it known that 1, HOWARD K. CLOVER, a citizen of theUnitedStates,residing at Omaha, in the county of Douglas and State ofNebraska, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inFuel-Controllers for Steam- Boilers; and Ido hereby declare thefollowing to be afull, clear, and exact description of the invention,such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains tomake and use the same. v

This invention relates to improvements in steam-boilers and otherheaters and burners of that class wherein liquid fuel is employed, andmore particularly relates to a device for controlling the flow of thefuel.

The object of the present invention is to provide a controller of thecharacter described which is so constructed as to automatically regulatethe flow of the liquid fuel as it is fed to the combustion-chamber; anda further object of the invention is the provision of a controller whichis adapted to be operated through the medium of the boiler-pressure, sothat when the latter has attained a certain predetermined limit the flowofthe fuel will be reduced, and in the event of increased pressure suchflow will be completely out off, thus effecting a perfect control of thepressure and eliminating liability ofexplosion due to overpressure. r

With these and other objects in view, which will appear as the nature ofthe improvements isbetter understood, the invention consists,substantially, in the novelconstruct-ion, combination, and arrangementof parts, as will be hereinafter fully described, illustrated in theaccompanying drawings, and pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawings, Figure l is a side elevation of a steam-boiler providedwith the herein-described fuel-controller, the boiler being partly insection to illustrate the combustion-chamber thereof. Fig. 2 is alongitudinal sectional view, on an enlarged scale, of the valvemechanism and the means for controlling the same. Fig. 3 is an endelevation, on an enlarged scale, of the valve-stem. Referring to thedrawings, the numeral 1 designates a steam-boiler which maybe of anyapproved construction, but as shown is of the vertical tubular type, andsaid boiler is provided at its lower end with a combustion-chamber 2,having a flared mouth 3, through which the fuel is fed, and said chamheris also provided with a horizontally-disposed diaphragm or grate 4:.

The numeral 5 designates the liquid-fuel supply, which in the presentcase is preferably a gasolene-tank, and leading from said tank throughthe upper portion of the com bustion-ohamber 2 in order to vaporize thefuel is a pipe 6 for conducting the fuel to a feednozzle 7, which isarranged and discharges in the mouth 3.

Leadingfrom the boiler l is a pipe 8, which communicates with thecontroller proper, 9, as clearly shown in Fig. 2, and said controllercomprises a tubular casing 10, provided at one of its ends with anenlarged flange 11, to which is suitably secured, as by screws 12 ortheir equivalent, ahead 13, to which is connected the pipe 8. It will beobserved that the opposing faces of the flange 11 and the head 13 areconcaved, and fitting between said flange and said head is a diaphragm14, which is provided with a shank 15, extending into the casing 10. Theshank 15 terminates in an elongated valve-sleeve16,which passes througha screw-threaded plug 17, fitting in the end of the casing 10 oppositeto the diaphragm 14, and the extremity of said sleeve 16 terminates in aconical valve 18.

The sleeve 16 is provided with a verticallydisposed slot 19, and fittingin said sleeve is a valve-stem 20, which is provided at its inner endwith a cross-head 21, fitting and workabove the nozzle 7, and said seatis adapted to coact with the valves 18 and 21 in a manner to bepresently stated.

The shank 15 is screw-threaded, as at 26, and mounted uponsaid threadsis an adj ust ing-nut 27, and interposed between the adj listing-nut 27and the cross-head 21 is a coil- IOO spring 28, which is designed tocontrol the movements of the valve-stem 20. The spring :28 encircles thesleeve 16, and arranged within the casing 10 and encircling the shank l5and the spring 28 is acoil-spring 29, which is of greater strength thanthe spring 28. The spring 29-bears against the diaphragm 14 and alsoagainst the screw-threaded plug 17, and through the medium of the latterthe pressure of said spring is regulated. The spring 29 being thuspositioned is designed to control the movements of the valve-sleeve 16.

The operation of the herein-described controller is as follows: When apredetermined pressure of steam in the boiler 1 has been attained, saidpressure, through the pipe 8, will act upon the diaphragm 14, and beingsufficient to overcome to some extent the tension of the spring 29 thediaphragm ll is caused to move toward the nozzle 7. During such movementthe valve-stem 20 and the valve-sleeve l6 retain their relativepositions due to the pressure of the spring 28, and as the valve 22 isforced upon the seat 25 it will be seen that the flow of the fuel fromthe pipe 6 to the nozzle 7 is decreased. This flow, however, is notentirely cut off, as the grooves 23 will permit a small quantity of thefuel to continue flowing to the nozzle; but in the event that thisdecrease in the fuel fed to the combustion-chamber is not sufficient toprevent a further increase in the steam-pressure such further increasewill act more strongly upon the diaphragm 14, and thereby cause thevalve 18 to approach the seat 25. As this approach continues thepressure of the spring 28 is overcome, and when the valve 18 has comeinto close contact with the seat 25 it is obvious that the entire flowof the fuel to the nozzle 7 will be cut 06, and hence thefire in thecombustion-chamber becomes extinguished. lVith the extinguishment of thefire it is also obvious that further increase in the steam-pressure isprevented, and thus liability to explosion incident to such increase inpressure is entirely overcome.

While the form of the invention herein shown and described is what atthe present time is believed to be a preferable embodiment thereof, itwill of course be understood that the invention is susceptible ofvarious changes in the form, proportion, and minor details ofconstruction, and the right is therefore reserved to modify or vary theinvention as falls within the spirit and scope thereof and as use andexperience may require. It will also be understood that while theinvention is herein shown as adapted for use as a fuel-feed controllerfor steam-boilers it may be effectively employed as a regulator for thefuel-supply of other heaters and burners.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new, and desiredto be secured by Letters Patent, is

1. In a f uel-controller for steam-boilers, the combination of aboiler,a source of liquid-fuel supply, a fuel-supply pipe discharging into thecombustion-chamber of the boiler,a valvecasing connected to saidpipe,valves arranged in said casing and operating under differentpressures for partially and Wholly cutting off the flow of fuel, and apressure-controlled operating member in communication with the boilerand operatively connected to said valves, substantially as described.

2. In a f uel-controller for steam-boilers, the combination of a boiler,a source of liquid-fuel supply, a fuel-su pply pipe extending throughthe combustion-chamber of the boiler and discharging thereinto, avalve-casing connected to said pipe andhaving a diaphragm therein,valves arranged in said casing and adapted to be operated by thediaphragm to partially and wholly cut off the flow,.of fuel, and a pipeestablishing communication between the boiler and diaphragm,substantially as de scribed.

3. In a fuel-controller for steam-boilers, the combination of a boiler,a source of liquidfuel supply, a supply and vaporizing pipe leadingtherefrom through the combustionchamber of the boiler and provided witha nozzle discharging thereinto, valves controlling the flow of fuelthrough the nozzle, one of said valves being adapted to seat before theother to partially cut off the flow of fuel, a diaphragm incommunication with and op erated by the pressure in the boiler, andsprings of difierent pressures, oneacting upon the diaphragm and theother upon one of the valves, in opposition to the boiler-pressure,substantially as described.

4. In a fuel-feed controller for boilers, the combination of a boiler,aliquid=fuel supply, a discharge-nozzle connected thereto anddischarging into the combustion-chamber of the boiler, a valve-stem, avalve-sleeve encircling said stem, said stem and sleeve being providedwith valves coacting with the discharge-nozzle for regulating the flowof fuel therethrough, one of said valves being adapted to seat beforethe other and partially cut off the flow of fuel, and means forcontrolling the movements of said stem and sleeve through the pressurein the boiler, substantially as described.

5. In afuel-controller for steam-boilers, the combination of a boiler, aliquid-fuel supply, a discharge-nozzle connected thereto and discharginginto the combustion-chamber of the boiler, a valve-stem, a valve-sleeveencircling said stem, said stem and sleeve being provided with valvescoactin g with the dischargenozzle for regulating the flow of the fuelthrough said nozzle, one of said valves being adapted to seat before theother and partially cutoff the flow of fuel, and a controller proper forregulating the movements of said stem and sleeve, said controller propercomprising a casing, in communication with the boiler, and a diaphragmarranged therein and suitably connected to said stem and sleeve, saiddiaphragm being operated through the pressure in the casing from theboiler, substantially as described.

6. In a fuel-feed controller for boilers, the combination of a boiler, aliquid-fuel supply, a discharge-nozzleconnected thereto, a valvestem, avalve-sleeve encircling said stem, said stem and sleeve being providedwith valves coacting with the discharge-nozzle for regulating the flowof the fuel therethrough, one of said valves being adapted to seatbefore the other and partially cut off the flow of fuel, and acontroller proper for regulating the movements of said stem and sleeve,said controller proper comprising a casing in communication with theboiler, a diaphragm arranged therein and suitablyconnected to said stemand sleeve, said diaphragm being controlled by the pressure in thecasing from the boiler, and means arranged in said casing and exertingpressure upon said diaphragm in opposition to said boiler-pressure,substantially as described.

7. In a fuel-controller for steam-boilers,the combination of a boiler, aliquid-fuel supply, a discharge-nozzle connected thereto, a valvestem, avalve-sleeve encircling said stem, said stem and sleeve being providedwith valves coacting with the discharge-nozzle for regulating the flowof the fuel therethrough, one of said valves being adapted to seatbefore the other and partiallycut ofi the flow of fuel, and a controllerproper for regulating the movements of said stem and sleeve, saidcontroller proper comprising a casing, a diaphragm arranged therein andsuitably connected to said stem and sleeve, said diaphragm casing beingconnected with the boiler and the diaphragm controlledby the pressuretherein, and a spring arranged in said casing and exerting pressureuponsaid diaphragm in opposition to said boiler-pressure, substantially asdescribed.

8. In a fuel-feed controller for boilers, a

fuel-feed supply having a port, a sleeve provided with a valve forcutting oi the flow of fuel through said port, a valve-stem encircled bysaid sleeve and provided with a valve projecting beyond the sleeve toseat first and formed with grooves through which a reduced supply offuel may pass through the port when said valve is seated, and meanscontrolled through the pressure in the boiler for operating said valvesleeve and stem.

9. In a fuel-feed controller, the combination of fuel-supplying meanshaving a feedport' provided with a valve-seat, a reducingvalve adaptedto close against said seat to partially cut off the flow of fuel, asecond valve adapted to close against the same seat to completely cutoff the flow of fuel, the valves being movably connected to allow thereducing-valve to seat first, and means for operating the valves,substantially as described. d d

10. In a fuel-feed controller, the combination of fuel-supplying meanshaving a feedport provided with a valve-seat, a valve-stem having avalve adapted to close against said seat and partially cut 06 the flowof fuel and provided with a cross-head, a valve-sleeve slidably mountedupon the stem and having a valve adapted to close against the'same seatand completely out off thefiow of fuel, and provided with a slot forreceiving said crosshead, a diaphragm having ashank connected directlywith said valve-sleeve, a spring acting on the diaphragm to resist themovement thereof, an adjusting-nut on said shank, and a coil-springbetween said adj usting-nut and cross-head, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

HOWARD K. CLOVER;

